Railway-crossing signal



' May '1, 1923.

E. M. TOLSTON RAILWAY CROSSING SIGNAL 2 Sheets-Sheet l n F r N .g, v k? :9 I 3 W/T/V'SSES 1% J 3mm LZZEEPI'AfIM/IFOEWZSMA' awn/avg May 1, 1923. 1,453,420

E. M. TOLSTON I RAILW AY CROSS ING SIGNAL Filed Dec. 11 1919 2 Shouts-Sheet 2 Sworn W01,

Patented May 1, 1923.

sire err maria rear i ELBEB'I MONROE TOLS'ION, or MACON, GEORGIA.

RAILWAY-CROSSING SIGNAL.

Application filed December 11, 1919. Serial No. 344,010.

To (all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Ennn'er MONROE Tons'ron, a citizen of the United States, re-

' be automaticallygiven by a train approaching a crossing; in either directionand said signal being thrown out of operation When thet'rain is on thecrossing and also when it is departing from the crossing. f

This objectis accoi'o ilished by providing asignal circuit and'a switch operating circuit whereby the switch Will permit the switch operating circuit to be closed While the train is departing from the crossing.

Other objects and advantages of the in vention will become apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying draivin'gforining a part of'theapplic ation and ivherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 represents a diagrammatic plan view of an'electric raihvaycrossing signal embodying this invention and showing all of, the circuit Wire connections.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the switch and motor constituting a part of this invention. j

Figure 3 is a detail plan view of the switch. v

Figure 4 is-a front'elevation of the upper portion of one of the signal carrying posts, and

Figure 5 is aside elevation thereof. v In the embodiment illustrated, three separate portions'or blo'cksof a'railivay track are shownat A513 and C, block Bbein'g the portion of the, track at the crossing and blocks A and those at opposite sides of the crossing or other points at ivhi'ch signals are desired. The track sections or blocks havetheircontinuous portions separated or insulated asshoivn at (4 whereby each of said blocks may rei'hain on a separate and independent circuit. It will, of

course, be understood that the separate sections or blocks A and C on opposite sides of the crossing section are of suiiicient length to insureoperation of the alarniby a train approaching from either 'direc tion. The ends of said sections remote from the crossing section B are of course insulated from the remainder of the track by the usual insulation, said insulation being also shown at a in'the drawing in Figure-1.

In carrying out the invention two signal posts 1 are arranged on opposite sides the track and on the highway, each carrying'an electric light bulb -2 at its t'op, a

signal box 8 supported on'the postbelow said bulb and having a transparent face 4 containing any desired warnlng, that shownbeing the Words, Danger stop. An electric bulb is mounted in-tlie boi 3 t'o illu-' inmate the face 4- thereof to render the Warning contained thereon Visible at night.

Carried by; apo'st 1 and preferably arranged below theboX 3 is an electricbell 6 which is inth'es'ame circuit with the lights 2'and 5 sothat all of them will be actuated simultaneously. r

Suitably locatedadjacentthe 'cr'os s'ingis a switch 10 in the form fo t knife blade switch having the usii'al base "11, lever carrying posts 12*, lever receivln'g sockets '12,

and alever 18 fhin ged to-the carr ing posts 12 and adapted "tofbe raised andflovvered for OPQIUDQ; and closing the-"switch. This 1ever'18 carries an extensionl l at its arched end composed or insulating materialand 'havlng contact arms515 ELHCl'lG extending laterally from opposite sides thereof; Carried by these arms 15 and. 16 are'tWo contact plates 17 and 18, oneofiv'hieh is electrically connected with ainotor 'by a conductor Wire 9, andthe Other with the battery B by the Wire 9 The wires 9 and 9 are included in the motor o'r'switch controlling circuit which is connected to'the tracks'ec tions 13 at the crossing by Wires 22 'andf23. will of course be understood thateach Wire 22 and2 3 isconnectedtocorresponding rails ofthe two track section's B Which is clearly illustrated. The Wire 22? is connected to the wire 9, by Wire-22, Whilethe Wire 23 is connected to wire Q by Wire 23* as clearly shown. Consequently when the I train reaches elther track section the switch operating circuits will be "closed through the engine thereby causing the motor to operate to lift the switch lever in a manner which will be presently described.

Two wires 19 and 19 extend from the sockets 12 of the switch and lead to contact plates 20 and 21 which are positioned in the path of the plates 17 and 18 carried by the switch lever 13 so that when said lever is raised in a manner hereinafter to be described, the contact plates 17 and 18 will engage those 20 and 21 to close the motor circuit and open the signal circuit. lVhen a train enters track section B and the switch lever is closed so as to separate the contacts 20 and 21 from those 17 and 18, it will be obvious that a circuit is completed through the wires 22 an d 23. The current will flow through wire 23, into the wire 23 then to 9 and into the battery B. From here, the current will pass into the electric motor and from there into wire 9 then to wire 22 to return through wire 22. The motor shaft is equipped with a pulley wheel 51 to which is secured cable 53, the free end of which is connected to the switch lever 13 Consequently, when the motor circuit is closed the switch lever will be lifted so as to disengage from the contact sockets 12 and cause contacts 20 and 21 to engage those 17 and 18 carried by the lever. When these twopairs of contacts meet, the motor circuit will be established which may be closed from either blocks A or C. The train departing from block B and entering block C will close the circuit through the pair of rails and current will pass from wire 26 into one of the switch sockets 12 from whence it will travel into contact plate 20 then into contact 18 carried by the lever and then through wire 9 into the battery. From here, the current will flow out into the motor and return through the other post socket by way of contact plates 17 and 21 from where it will pass through wire 26 which connectsto the rails. It will be noted that wire 26 alternates in its connection with the rails and is connected to both blocks A and C. When the switch lever 13 is raised, it will be understood that the sigi'ial circuit to be presently described, will be opened so that the signals will be inoperative when the motor is operating.

The signal circuit consists of a wire 7 connected to the lamp 2 at the top of one of the posts 1 down to lamp 5 in the sign box 3, then to the electrical alarm bell G, and out through the base of the post across the track section B from which it is insulated to the wire 9 which is connected to the battery B. This wire 7 has a branch wire 7 which extends to the other post 1 on the opposite side of the crossing and passes through the electric alarm hell 6 thereof, the lights 5 and v 2 and back through wire 8 to one of the pivot posts of the switch as is clearly shown in Figure 1. A return wire 8 for the other set of signals extends from the same pivot post of the switch 10 and is connectedto the bell and lights of the signal first described. In order to complete a circuit for the signal from the switch to the battery, a wire 27 is connected to the other pivot post of the switch and to the battery.

The operation of the apparatus when the train is upon either track is as follows: When a train enters section A, the signal circuit will be closed by the engine in the well known manner through wires 26 and 26. The switch lever 13 will be closed since it is normally held in this position by a coiled spring 28 connected thereto and to the base of the switch as clearly shown in Figure 2. Therefore, current will pass through the wire 26 to one of the post sockets of the switch 10, through an arm of the lever and into the battery through the wire 27. Current will pass out of the battery through wire 9 and into the signal wires 7 and 7 where it will be conducted to the alarm bell and lights of the signals. The current will return from the signals through the wires 8 and 8 to a pivot post of the switch through one of the switch arms of the lever and then into wire 26 which is connected to the blocks A. Consequently, both signals will be given while the train is approaching the crossing.

As soon as the train reaches the crossing and is upon the block 13, a circuit will be completed through wires 22 and 23. When the train first enters block B, the switch lever 13 will be closed and current will pass through wires 23 into 23*, then to 9 where it is conducted into the battery. From the battery, it passes to the motor 50 to the wire 9 into 22 to return to wire 22 thereby completing the motor circuit. Immediately, the motor will begin tooperate thereby pulling upon the cable 53 which raises the switch lever 13 from its post sockets and so that the contact plates 17 and 18 carried by the lever will engage contacts 20 and 21 disposed in the paths of said plates. The switch lever upon disengagement of the switch post sockets will break the signal circuit and close a motor circuit through wires 26 and 26'. When the train passes on to block section C, the motor will continue to operate since the circuit will be closed through the rails or blocks and current from the battery will travel through wire 9*, contact plate 18 into contact 20 and into one post socket of the switch 10. From here, the current will pass through wire 26 through the engine on block C into wire 26. This wire will carry the current to the other post socket of the switch from where it will escape into the contact 21, then into contact 17, then. to wire 9 into the motor and return to the batery. After the train has departed from block C, the motor will discontinue its operation and the coiled spring 28 will immedi' ately return the switch lever to its normal position so that its arms engage the post sockets of the switch ready to complete a signal circuit when a train enters either of the blocks A or O.

The foregoing description and accompanying drawings have reference to what might be considered to be the approved or preferred form of my invention. I desire it to be understood that I may make such changes in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, material, dimension, etc. as may prove expedient and fall within the scope of the appended claims.

*Iaving thus described my invention what Iclaim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a signal of the class described, a plurality oi separate track sections, one of which is disposed across a highway, a signal circuit including rail sections on opposite sides of the highway section and a source of electrical energy, a motor circuit including a motor having a drum attached to its shaft, a knife switch connected in both of said circuits, a flexible element connecting said drum to the lever of said switch to lift the lever and open the switch to break the signal circuit when the motor is energized by the train entering the crossing section and the succeeding section. I

2. In a signal of the class described,a plurality of track sections, one of which is disposed across a highway, a signal circuit ineluding rail sections on opposite sides of the lever of said switch to lift the lever and 1 open the switch to break the signal circuit when the motor is energized by the train approaching the highway sectionand the succeeding section.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence or two witnesses.

,ELBERT MONROE TOLSTON. Witnesses:

E. L. BAMEs, R. K. HINES. 

